Scientists find another way we’re exposed to ‘forever chemicals’: Through our skin

WASHINGTON POST • June 27, 2024

A first-of-its-kind study has found that “forever chemicals” – toxic compounds found in everyday beauty and personal care items like sunscreen, waterproof mascara and lipstick – can seep through human skin and enter the bloodstream. In early April, the Environmental Protection Agency set its first-ever limit on these “forever chemicals” in drinking water, following mounting evidence that chemicals in contaminated water can pose a health risk to people at even the smallest detectable levels of exposure. Known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS can persist in the environment for centuries.